Venetian blind cover



p 9, 1953 M. E. SKWARK' 2,653,657

VENETIAN BLIND COVER Filed July 24, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Azmm e BY Z39, m @M ATTORNEYS Sept. 29, 1953 M. E. sKwARK I 2,653,657

VENETIAN BLIND COVER Filed July 24, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 35 ATTORNEYS P 29, 1953 M. E. SKWARK 2,653,657

VENETIAN BLIND COVER Filed July 24, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 29, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VENETIAN BLIND COVER Marion E. Skwark, Binghamton, N. Y.

Application July 24, 1950, Serial No. 175,510

3 Claims.

This invention relates to covers for Venetian blinds and more particularly to transparent covers to enclose the blinds in order to protect them against the gathering of dust and the like.

In recent years the modes of fashion have laid particular emphasis on the appearance of windows in houses, and pursuant to this the Venetian blind has progressed in popularity. It has become more popular because in addition to its esthetic appeal it has the unique ability of regulating the amount of light which passes therethrough while to some extent permitting one to look through the entire area of the window before which the blind is arranged. One disadvantage, however, characteristic of such blinds, is their tendency to gather dust and the consequent extreme difiiculty in keeping them clean.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a means of eliminating this previously mentioned difliculty while still permitting eflicient operation of the blind to control the amount of light passing therethrough and while still permitting one to obtain a view through the Window inhibited only by the elements of the Venetian blind.

More particularly, it is an object of this invention to provide a cover for Venetian blinds while still allowing the blinds to operate in the same eiiicient manner as before and to perform their same function. I

Broadly this invention relates to a transparent cover for a Venetian blind to protect said blind from gathering dust, said cover being mounted to the Venetian blind head and encasin-g the slats thereof, said cover including a means to permit outside control of the blind, and means to prevent the interference of the cover with the free operation of the blind.

Other and further objects of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the cover encasing the blind and showing the blind and cover mounted to a window frame;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary top plan View of the structure shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the structure shown in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a view taken along the line 44 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective of one end of the cover shown with the necessary at tachments to mount the cover to the top casing for the Venetian blind and the means of preventing the interference of the cover with the operation of the blind;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective of one of the bottom corners of the cover;

Figure 7 is a View taken along the line 1-1 of Figure 4;

Figure 8 is a front elevation of a modification of the cover;

Figure 9 is a side elevation of the structure shown in Figure 8; and

Figure 10 is a. perspective of the structure shown in Figures 8 and 9 with the front of the cover unzippered.

The cover which is constructed in accordance with the present invention finds utility with all types of Venetian blind. In the usual case the blind consists of a plurality of parallel slats arranged in vertical relation and maintained in this relation by a system of cloth strips. In the usual. case there are four such strips, two in the front and two in the back of the slats, all strips extending vertically of the blind from the blind head to the last or bottommost slat. Each pair of strips, that is one in the back and one in the front; is mounted opposite to each other and held together by short strips of cloth or the like arranged as supports for the ends of the slats. Cords are usually provided for independently changing the pitch of the slats and for raising the entire blind. One of the cords, either in one or two sections, is attached to atilt rail which is pivotally mounted in the blind head. The two pairs of vertically arranged cloth strips are mounted to opposite sides of the tilt rail. When the cord attached to the tilt rail is pulled so as to pivot the tilt rail in one direction, the back strip rises and the front strip lowers. This changes the pitch of the slats and permits more or less light to pass therebetween as the case may be.

The blind head also contains a roller mounted for rotatable movement therein. To this roller, at one end thereof, is mounted a pulley. About the pulley is mounted an operating cord. This cord is for the purpose of raising the entire blind. Also about the pulley are mounted two other cords, each of which is passed down through all of the slats at points removed from each other and. preferably towards the extremes of the slats, but for esthetic reasons hidden from view by the vertical. strips. As the operating cord is pulled the pulley rotates causing the other two cords to raise the entire blind. There is usually a means provided for step-by-step operation so that the height of the blind may be easily regulated. v

The cover which constitutes the subject matter of this invention finds utility with just such blinds as previously described. It must be remembered, however, that the blind forms no part of the present; invention, the only requirement being that it be of the type commonly referred to as a Venetian blind. With this in mind, attention is directed to the drawings which accompany this specification.

Referring to Figures 1 to 7, inclusive, the cover generally designated by numeral in these figures is made of some sort of transparent or translucent plastic or other similar material, usually including a substance such as cellophane. It is, in the usual case, although not necessarily, made in three pieces, one piece serving as the front of the cover, another as the back, and a. third as the strip to connect the back and the front. These three pieces are usually bound together by cloth strippings or the like to form a five-sided figure like a box having one open end. The sixth side is closed by making the back of the cover longer than the front and causing the back to overlap the front slightly and to be held thereto by snap locks or the like.

What we have called the front side of the cover is designated in these figures by numeral 2|, the back side by numeral 22, the narrow strip enclosing the two by numeral 23 and the folding over portion of the back by numeral 24.

With the top flap unattached, the cover is fitted over the slats 25 of the Venetian blind and extended upward to what might be called the blind head assembly 26. This assembly 26 is typical of those found in the art and includes a three-sided casing 21, usually of metal, which casing is mounted to the window frame 28 by any convenient means and is used primarily to hide for esthetic reasons the more awkward looking elements of the blind head. These elements include a roller 29 mounted for rotatable movement to the casing 21. The rotation of this roller is in a controlled counterclockwise and clockwise manner, said control being obtained by element 30 mounting the roller 29 to the casing 21. This roller is rotated in one direction or the other by cords and 36. Means is provided for holding the slats in a desired tilt or pitch after the roller has been rotated a desired number of de grees.

The slats are moved to respond to the rotation of the roller by virtue of the cloth strips 3|. These strips 3| are usually mounted to opposite sides of the roller 29. The strips 3| have bridging them a plurality of strips 32 for supporting the slats 25 and for changing the pitch thereof. This operation is performed as previously described.

The other cord 36 shown at the right hand side of Figure 1 is for pulling the entire blind up or letting it down as the case may be. This cord works through an arrangement such as a pulley 31 to rotate a tilt rail 38. The cord 36 lies over one groove in the pulley and extends downwardly through each of the slats to the bottommost where it is anchored. This may be accomplished by one cord or three cords, the pulley being provided with, in the latter case, two other grooves, one to be anchored to the right hand side of the bottommost flap and the other to the left hand side of the bottommost flap, both operating in conjunction with cord 36. Means is provided for step-by-step operation of the pulley and consequently step-by-step operation of the raising or lowering of the blind.

As particularly shown in Figure 4, the cover encloses the whole blind with the exception of the cords. The flap portion 24 overlies the front piece 2| and is attached thereto by a series of snap locks or the like 2h (see Figure 1). The cords extend between these overlying portions and the front piece and are thereby made available through the aperture so formed to operate the blind from the outside. Of course the cords may also extend through apertures made in the flap itself.

As mentioned heretofore, the cover is made of a plastic material which is in most cases not of a too rigid texture. To prevent the cover from interfering with the operation of the blind, certain provisions now to be described are made. It is important that the cover maintain a substantially rectangular shape on all sides. To accomplish this, pockets are placed in the cover at four well-chosen points therein. Referring particularly to Figure 5, a pocket is positioned in each upper corner as shown. This pocket receives a guide 39. The guide is usually of plastic material or something similarly rigid and is designed in a particular manner to hold the shape of the upper part of the cover so as not to allow it to interfere with the operation of the blind. Additionally, the guide is constructed so as to have recesses to receive a clip 40. This clip as shown has four prongs 4| which engage in the cooperating recesses in the plastic guide 39. The clip when mounted to the guide has a small space between it and the guide to permit the insertion therein of a fastener 42. This fastener frictionally engages the clip through the casing 21. The fastener, after it is engaged between the clip and the guide, grasps the casing 21 and is held frictionally thereto by the resilient nature of the fastener. The cutout portion 43 of the cover allows the guide and clip to be inside the cover while permitting the fastener to protrude to the outside thereof and to engage the casing 21.

Another rectangular opening 44 is provided in the cover 20 to permit the side pieces 23 to slide over the metal holder 45 as shown in Figure 2 which provides the top holding piece for the elements of the Venetian blind head. This opening is reinforced by an extra lining to prevent tearing thereof. This lining is shown in dotted lines in Figure 5 and designated as 46.

Referring to Figure 6, the pockets which are formed in the bottom corners of the cover 20 receive plastic guides 41 which are cut in a particular manner to make these corners rigid while adding as little weight as possible to the entire structure. These guides 41 are inserted into the corner pockets by unfastening the bottom portion of the narrow strip as shown in this figure which is usually held in place by snap locks 48.

Referring now to Figures 8, 9 and 10, there is shown in these figures another embodiment of the invention. The transparent cover 49 is made of the same material as the first embodiment previously described and serves the same purpose. This particular cover includes a zipper arrangement indicated at 50. The use of a zipper eliminates the use of clamps, guides and said stiffening devices and allows freedom of movement and good operation of the Venetian blind. The top of the cover is provided with snap locks or the like which are both inside and outside elements, the inside elements being used to close the cover to make it dust-free and the outside elements for the purpose of fastening curtains thereto. The embodiment shown in these figures is particularly useful with Venetian blinds of the metal box type which do not have a headboard such as that shown in the Figures from 1 to 7, inclusive. This type contains a metal box which encloses all of the elements of the blind head. The cover in this embodiment is adapted to completely cover this box except for the ends. Openings 5! allow for any protrusion of this metal box which might occur while still completely en- ClOSiIlg the slats, The flap portion of the cover indicated as 52 lies over the metal box and is by snap locks 53 attached to the front portion 54 of the cover 49. The zipper arrangement adds to the rigidity of the entire cover and by itself prevents the interference of the cover with efiicient operation of the Venetian blind. The zipper arrangement as shown in Figure includes two separate zippers but it is apparent that one zipper may be substituted for this arrangement. This one zipper would commence, for instance, at the top left hand side and continue down the side and around the bottom to the lower right hand corner, thus eliminating two zippers and the front cover would open up like a book cover. This of course would mean the reduction of cost to the manufacturer and also a more convenient method of opening the cover. The flap over portion 52 of the cover may be made a continuation of the back portion thereof or may be made a separate piece sewed to the back portion. The front portion may be an extension of the side or a completely separate piece.

What have been described are preferred embodiments of the invention but other embodiments obvious to those skilled in the art from the teachings herein are contemplated to be within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A cover for a Venetian blind of the type having a casing member to encase and support the elements of the head of said blind and to mount said blind to a window frame, said cover including a back portion, a front portion, a bottom portion and two side portions, all of transparent material arranged in an open-ended boxlike structure open at the top thereof, to partially enclose said blind, a flap forming an extension of the said back portion to overlie the said blind head, said side portions having pockets at the ends thereof to receive rigid guide members to supply added rigidity to said cover to prevent said cover from interfering with the operation of said blind, means to attach said flap to the said front portion to form a closed box-like structure when so attached to completely enclose said blind, said fiap forming apertures when so attached for the passage therethrough of the controlling cords of said blind, and means to mount said cover to said casing.

2. A cover for a Venetian blind of the type having a casin member to encase and support the elements of the head of said blind and to mount said blind to a window frame, said cover including a back portion, a bottom portion, a front portion and two side portions, all of transparent material arranged in an open-ended boxlike structure open at the top thereof, to partially enclose said blind, a flap forming an extension of the said back portion to overlie the said blind head, said side portions having pockets at the ends thereof to receive rigid guide members to supply added rigidity to said cover to prevent said cover from interfering with the operation of said blind, means to attach said flap to the said front portion to form a closed box-like structure when so attached to completely enclose said blind, said flap forming apertures when so attached for the passage therethrough of the controlling cords of said blind, fastening means mounted to said cover at the upper ends thereof to secure said cover to said casing.

3. A cover as claimed in claim 2 further characterized by a clip member mounted to said guide member and providing a recess therebetween for receiving therein the cover-securing end of the said fastening means.

MARION E. SKWARK.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,185,688 Hargis Jan. 2, 1940 2,385,053 Bohn Sept. 18, 1945 2,600,083 Sutz June 10, 1952 

